Folding-wing aeroplane.



G. H. CURTISS. FOLDING WING AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED 050.11. 19x4.

Patented Apr. 17,1917. 2 SHEETS-SHEET I WWW GLENNHGUETlS.

, G. H. CURTISS. FOLDING WING AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 11. I914.

1,223,317. v Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GLENN H. CURTISS, OF HAMMONDSPORT, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE CURTISS MOTOR COMPANY, OF HAMMONDSPORT, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

Application filed December 11, 1914. Serial No. 876,718.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GLENN H. CURTIss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hammondsport, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FoldingflVing Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to aeroplanes of the biplane type, and has for its object the production of an aeroplane the wings of which may be folded bodily backwardly substantially in the plane thereof and without disturbing the relation of the upper and lower planes thereof. The advantages of such an aeroplane are that it may be housed in very small space when not used, may be rendered ready for use in a minimum of time, and when in use may be upon landing rendered almost instantly storm proof. Subordinately when applied to hydro-aeroplanes or flying boats, an additional advantage of some importance is found in the fact that the wings may be folded back while running upon the water, and the machine operated wholly as a water craft. When so folded back the trailing edges of the planes may meet, and between the upper and lower planes there is inclosed a housing space in which operators may take refuge from the weather.

According to my invention, I divide the biplane cell centrally of its length (or spread) into two sections, hinge these sections together on an axis or axes which pass in a vertical direction through the trailing edges of the upper and lower planes, and provide each section with a front post located transversely opposite the hinge connection and forming a permanent part of its structure, whereby each section is selfsustaining irrespective of whether the sections are in extended or folded positions. Any suitable means may be provided for securing the abutting or adjoining front portions together to retain the wings in extended positions. I preferably use bolts or clamps which may be readily manipulated by hand in case of emergency. Further I contemplate providing each section with a rear post adjacent its hinge axis and a permanent part of its structure, although as long as the hinge connection between the sections remains unbroken this provision is not absolutely necessary for the maintenance of the form of either section. Still further suitable brace and suspension wires adapted to properly support the weight of the wings from the hinge axes are provided to serve when the wings are folded or being folded back. Also in order to reduce the necessary number of operations in folding, the control connections to the aileron or lateral balancing rudder surfaces are passed through the axes of the hinge connections, whereby when folding the aileron connections need not be disturbed.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown that form of my invention now best known to me, but I would have it understood that my invention is capable of other embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing in any wise from its generic spirit. I show several forms of the hinge connections between the wing sectlons.

Of the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tractor aeroplane in which my invention is embodied, the wings being shown in folded position in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of an aeroplane showing particularly the brace and control wires in their relations to the pivotal connections between the wings;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the wings in folded positions;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a form of hinge which may be eifectively used;

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the hinge and the parts connected together thereby;

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the details of the connections of the wings in extended position;

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing a modified form of hinges and connecting means; and,

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a detail of Fig. 6.

The top and bottom surfaces of the bilanc cells are designated respectively 10 and 11. They are spaced apart by the usual vertically extending posts 12 and in the form shown, the upper plane is given an advance over the lower plane for well known reasons of efficiency. This cell is supported for land operation upon a centrally located chassis structure 13. In the case of the hydroplane this chassis is supplanted by a boat or hydroplane structure, which, in the best types of hydro-aeroplanes supports the rear control devices. In the machine here illustrated however the rear controls are supported from the tail of a fuselage structure 14, the body of which is embraced between the upper and lower supporting surfaces 10 and 1 1. In fact according to the most approved construction, the fuselage structure 14: is supported directly from the chassis 13 and the biplane cell 10, 11, is in turn supported directly from the fuselage structure 14. In the front end of the structure (the machine being of the tractor type), is mounted a driving motor 15 provided with propeller 16. Behind the motor 15, are provided one or more seats 17 for the operator or operators. In juxtaposition to these seats are located the various control wires and levers. Ailerons 18 of the Curtiss type are provided intermediate the top and bottom Supporting surfaces for the maintenance of lateral balance, and for operating these ailerons is provided the Curtiss shoulder fork 19.

According to my invention I divide the biplane cell 10, 11 transversely of its length into right and left sections designated gen erally R and L in Figs. 2 and 3. In the construction illustrated the division is really into three parts, being upon lines A B and C D on the right and left of the fuselage structure, thus leaving a central engine section E. I hinge the sections R, L, to the engine section E (and through the engine section therefore to each other) on vertically extending axes 20-20 adjacent or substantially adjacent to the axes of the rear inside posts 21, whereby the front portions of the sections R and L being free, they may be turned about the axes 20-20 in the planes substantially at right angles thereto, depending upon whether the sections It and L are mounted at an angle to each other or not. The angles of the axes 20-20 irrespective of posts 21 are made such that when the sections It andv L are folded back until their trailing edges meet or are adjacent, the fuselage structure 14 is housed in the space between the top and bottom supporting surfaces 10, 11.

Transversely opposite the axes 20-20 each section B, L, is provided with a front post 22 forming a permanent part of its structure whereby, when the wings are folded back, the relation of the top and bottom surfaces 10, 11 to each other and the adjustment of the various brace wires are not interfered with, and the integrity of the cell is maintained. Therefore in extending the wings for use of the machine an absolute minimum of operations is required.

In extended position, the posts 22 are secured to adjacently located fuselage posts 23 by means of bolts, straps, or lashings of a desired form. According to my invention, however, the posts 22 and 23 are formed complementally as respects a longitudinal plane so that when the posts abut as shown in Fig. 6 (and again in Fig. 7) the cross section thereof is of stream line form. Appropriate top and bottom beam and post sockets may be provided to strengthen the front connection as desired.

Brace wires 2 1 extending downwardly from the tops of axes 20-20 and diagonally to the lower ends of the front outside posts of sections R, L, and other similarly disposed suspension cables (not shown) support sections R, L, from the axes when they are folded or being folded back.

The control cables 25 for the lateral balancing devices 18 are passed from the shoulder fork or equivalent control means 19 to the ailerons 18 over the pulleys mounted upon or closely adjacent to axes 20-20 whereby when the wings are being folded back no disturbance or disruption of any control connection is necessary. Furthermore the location of the ailerons 18 themselves and the angularity of the axes 20-20 are made such that when in folded position as shown in Fig. 3, the fuselage 14L, lies be tween the ailerons 18 and the lower surfaces 11. Interference to folding by striking of the ailerons 18 against the fuselage may also be prevented by disposing axes 20-20 so that the fuselage lies between the ailerons and the upper surfaces 10. By simply moving the shoulder fork 19 right or left interference of the ailerons themselves is prevented.

Obviously, according to the provisions of my invention, the wings of an aeroplane may be folded or extended in a fraction of a moment by simply removing or securing three or four fastening devices securing the front portions to the fuselage section E and together, and for any of the advantageous purposes hereinbefore set forth. No part of the aeroplane structure or its control devices per 80, need be disturbed in any manner.

In Figs. 41 and 5, I have shown a hinge which may be conveniently used on the axes 20-20. Its wings 26 and 27 are elongated and provided with top and bottom flanges 28 adapted to embrace the beams 29 and 30 of the hinged sections. The beams may be provided with the usual post socket 21 for support therefor upon the posts 21.

According to the modification of Fig. 7 the rear post 21 of the engine section, like the front post 23, is formed complemental to a post 32 belonging to the wing section, and a hinge 33 connects the two halves of the post. Furthermore the front posts 22, 23 instead of being formed complemental with respect to a longitudinal plane of the craft are formed complemental with respect to transverse planes thereof and connected together by a clamp instead of a bolt. This 144-- HLHUWHU l IUD construction has the advantage of securing a greater stiffness of the post for a given size.

I am aware that folding wing aeroplanes as such are not new, and particularly that machines of the monoplane type have been frequently provided with folding wings, but as will be apparent from the appended claims, I claim as my invention not this, but the folding structure of the biplane cell and its associated parts as herein set forth.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. An aeroplane including a fuselage, supporting surfaces divided into sections, hinge axes connecting the sections together, a stabilizing device carried by one section, and means extending through a hinge axis for control of said device from said fuselage.

2. An aeroplane including a fuselage, supporting surfaces divided into a fuselage section and wing sections, hinge means connecting the latter sections with said fuselage section on vertical axes, stabilizing devices carried by said wing sections, a common control for said devices supported on the fuselage, and flexible connections between each device and said control passing through the corresponding hinge axes.

3. A biplane including a fuselage, superposed main surfaces longitudinally divided into a fuselage section and a pair of wing sections, hinge connections between adjacent sections, and posts connecting the superposed surfaces for each of the sections, said posts being of a stream-line shape and certain posts of adjacent sections being formed sectionally streanrline to complement each other.

4:- A biplane including a fuselage, superposed main supporting surfaces longitudinally divided into a fuselage section and a pair of wing sections, hinge connections between adjacent sections, posts connecting the superposed surfaces for each of the sections, the posts of adjacent sections being formed to complement each other, and means for hingedly or reinovably connecting said complementary posts.

5. A biplane including a fuselage, superposed main supporting surfaces longitudinally divided into a fuselage section and a pair of extreme wing sections, hinge connections between adjacent sections, posts connecting the superposed surfaces of each section, certain of the posts of adjacent sections being formed longitudinally complementary, other of such posts being formed transversely complementary, and clamp and hinge means variously connecting the complementary posts.

6. A biplane including a fuselage, superposed main surfaces longitudinally divided into a fuselage section and a pair of wing sections, hinge connections between adjacent sections, posts connecting the superposed surfaces of each section, forward posts of adjacent sections being transversely complementary, adjacent rearward posts being formed longitudinally complementary to each other, hinges connecting said complementary rear posts, and clamps removably connecting said forward posts.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GLENN H. CURTISS. Witnesses.

G. R. HALL, H. C. GENUNG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

